Shield AI

Senior Staff Designer (R5944)

Shield AI • $190K — $290K *
Aerospace & Defense
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 6+ years of professional design experience with a strong portfolio of integrated brand campaigns.
  • Expert command of visual design principles, including typography, composition, and color.
  • Proven ability to turn campaign strategies into unique visuals and scalable systems.
  • Experience in developing campaigns across various channels like digital, social media, and events.
  • Fluent in design software, specifically Adobe Creative Suite and Figma.
  • Experience guiding and reviewing work by other creatives and external partners.
  • Excellent presentation skills, notably in defending design decisions to senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

  • Lead development of integrated brand campaigns from concept to execution.
  • Translate creative direction into compelling visual designs across multiple platforms.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure aligned messaging and visuals.
  • Contribute to the shaping and improvement of creative briefs and visual strategies.
  • Direct and support the work of internal and external design partners and agencies.
  • Ensure design consistency and high standards throughout all campaign materials.
  • Manage high-visibility projects with tight deadlines while maintaining quality.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive benefits package including health, wellness, and retirement plans.
  • Opportunities for performance-based bonuses established at hire.
  • Equity options as part of the compensation package.
Full Job Description
Job Description:

The Marketing team at Shield AI is hiring a Senior Designer to lead the development and execution of integrated brand campaigns. Working closely with the Director of Brand and Creative, you'll translate campaign strategy and creative direction into distinctive visual concepts and cohesive systems that work across digital, social, events, presentations, advertising, and other brand touchpoints.

You'll be a close creative partner throughout the campaign process-from early concept development and visual exploration through production and launch. You'll help shape briefs, develop campaign ideas, establish the visual direction, and turn approved concepts into clear systems that other designers, agencies, and production partners can execute consistently.

You'll own high-visibility design work while also providing direction, feedback, and hands-on support across the broader campaign. You'll collaborate with writers, designers, video teams, marketers, and external partners to connect messaging and visuals, solve creative problems, and keep the work aligned as requirements evolve.

This is a senior individual contributor role for a designer with strong judgment, exceptional craft, and a bias toward action. You can move between concept and execution, present and defend your thinking, incorporate feedback without weakening the idea, and deliver polished work under demanding timelines. You'll help raise the creative standard across Shield AI while ensuring every campaign feels clear, cohesive, and unmistakably on brand.

Required qualifications:

  • 6+ years of professional design experience, with a portfolio demonstrating conceptually strong, integrated brand campaigns.
  • Expert command of visual design, including typography, composition, color, imagery, and art direction.
  • Demonstrated ability to translate campaign strategy and creative briefs into distinctive concepts and scalable visual systems.
  • Experience developing campaigns across digital, social, advertising, events, presentations, and other brand touchpoints.
  • Ability to move fluidly from early concept development through detailed design and final production.
  • Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and Figma.
  • Experience directing and reviewing work produced by designers, agencies, and production partners.
  • Strong presentation skills, including the ability to clearly explain and defend creative decisions to senior stakeholders.
  • Experience collaborating closely with writers, marketers, video teams, and other creative disciplines.
  • Ability to manage multiple high-visibility projects, make sound decisions with incomplete information, and deliver exceptional work under tight deadlines.
  • Strong understanding of production requirements across digital and print formats.
  • Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to brand consistency.
  • Ability to operate as a senior individual contributor, taking ownership of work without requiring day-to-day direction.


Preferred qualifications:

  • Experience designing for aerospace, defense, advanced technology, or another complex technical industry.
  • Experience translating technical products and capabilities into clear, compelling campaign creative.
  • Background working in an in-house brand studio or creative agency on large, integrated campaigns.
  • Experience partnering closely with a creative director from initial concept through launch.
  • Art direction experience across photography, illustration, motion, video, and 3D.
  • Experience directing agencies, freelancers, photographers, and other production partners.
  • Familiarity with environmental graphics, event experiences, and large-format production.
  • Experience developing campaign systems that can be extended consistently by other designers and teams.
  • Working knowledge of motion design, video production, or 3D workflows.
  • Familiarity with legal, brand, data-handling, and export-control reviews for public-facing creative work.


$190,000 - $290,000 a year

#LI-AD7

#LE

Full-time regular employee offer package:

Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity

Temporary employee offer package:

Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)

Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.

About Shield AI

Shield AI is a defense technology company that develops artificially intelligent systems for military applications. The company was founded in 2015 by Brandon Tseng, Ryan Tseng, and Andrew Reiter, and is headquartered in San Diego, California. Shield AI's products include autonomous drones and software that can be used for reconnaissance, surveillance, and other military operations. The company's mission is to reduce the number of military casualties by providing soldiers with better intelligence and situational awareness. Shield AI has received funding from a number of investors, including Andreessen Horowitz and Founders Fund.
Learn more about Shield AI
Size
200 employees
Industry
Founded
2015

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